Greetings 2011 !!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's time for new beginnings!  I have been able to spend some time lately viewing, reading and planning about different changes I want to make in this New Year.  It's all about Goals, Task Lists, Inspiration.  Because this year I want to introduce a new item every month.  I want to focus on adding lots of inventory to the website. http://lrcoastalart.com and my Etsy shop  http://www.etsy.com/shop/lrcoastalart so that you, my favorite friends have a large selection to choose from when you visit.  And Special Gifts to those of you that are really paying attention.  Still waiting for the 1000 followers and Friends on Facebook and Twitter for the Beautiful Floral Crystal Bracelets. There will be more Giveaways so stay engaged and check back here on the Blog, on Twitter and on Facebook!

 In this hard economic time, I plan to put together a special Shop Page for the Bargain Hunter on the Website. And I would love to hear from you with ideas you would like created.  Like, are you partial to:

• Silver vs. Gold.  
• Base Metal vs. Precious Metals.  
• Long Necklaces vs. Chokers.
• Lace vs. Leather
• Feathers vs. Flowers
• Quality vs. Cost

You get the idea.  I want to see comments on the Blog.  Go ahead and give me your wish list.  I have some of my own special ideas and can't wait to get them worked up to share with you.  Think about your likes and dislikes in Fashion and/or Jewelry and if your idea is Unique and chosen to be made up and becomes a good seller, I will make up a FREE one to send to you!  No kidding...FREE!  How Great is that?!?

So Happy New Year Friends and stay warm and stay tuned!

Bracelet Giveaway!

Rosewater Opal Beaded Floral Bracelet Giveaway when we reach 1000 followers on Twitter and 1000 Fans on Facebook!

 Swarovski Bicone Crystals in Rosewater Opal, Fuschia ABX2 and Peridot, make up this beaded Floral Weave bracelet.  It measures 7″ in length w/SS Toggle Clasp.Valued at $62.00.

Help us get to 1000 fans on Facebook and 1000 followers on Twitter!  Follow us, retweet and suggest to friends to help spread the word.

When we reach 1000 fans on facebook and 1000 followers on twitter, we’ll choose a winner at random.  Existing fans are already entered in the contest but we need your help to meet our goal. So get the word out and you could be the lucky winner of this beautiful crystal bracelet.

LR Coastal Art - Huge Mark Downs for this Holiday Season

Don't miss our 25% off Sale on already marked down items on the website!  http://lrcoastalart.com

If you did not get the email with the 25% off coupon, go to Facebook and:  1) Like to get connected, then 2) send me an email and I'll forward the coupon!  Then 3) when you are ready to purchase, I'll apply the coupon to the listing and adjust the price prior to checkout.

The Holiday Season came early for me this year!  My idol is Mary Frances, the well known artist of Beaded Purses and Accessories from San Francisco!  (You know....the one that has images of "Who's Who" in Hollywood from the Red Carpet to all the designer magazines, with Eva Longoria, Chaka Kahn, Oprah Winfrey, etc. holding their Exquisite Bags).  Imagine my excitement when I made my monthly check in to her website this month and found an Awesome Teal Bag that goes with my Kyanite Krowns Necklace ... was Mary Frances's Pick of The Month!!  I nearly broke office furniture jumping up and down.  

With a little Twitter here and a little Facebook there I did get a "tweet" from the fine people at Mary Frances:


maryfrancesacce Nov 17, 1:27pm via web

@LRCoastalArt I think you should take advantage...a Mary Frances handbag is the perfect compliment to your fabulous jewelry!

And "Oh By the Way"...She's offering FREE SHIPPING for the Holidays!

I don't know I think Santa Babe might get the job done!  Anyway...I could not be more pleased to have received such a compliment from my idol! LIFE IS GOOD

Take care, my friends and have a safe Holiday Season!

Paying it Forward for Small Business

Are you "Paying it Forward" for your local Small Business?  Are they doing the same?
 I'm always looking for ways to help make any situation better.  Recently I purchased beads from a local bead store and used them to make pieces for my jewelry business (LR Coastal Art).  I  was so happy with the customer service and selection in this local establishment, what followed just seemed like the natural progression for me.  I feel like I have created a friendship with the owners and operaters of the store that will be cherished for a long time to come.  We all are hearing how difficult this economy is, and that the Small Business success is going to help the situation.  But what do we all do as consumers to Pay it Forward? 

When I finished my necklace I wrote about it here on my blog and included a small notation of my source for the supplies needed.  I encluded a link to their website and received numerous comments from people near and far about how much they loved the store. ihttp://www.peruvianbeadcompany.com/  Not only did it feel good to share, but in doing this it provided free advertising for the store.  Who doesn't like FREE?

I know I have many different sources for my beading needs, but if I can put back something into my community, it's worth the effort.  If I can get just one new customer to this small business I consider I've "Paid it Forward."  It's time to think outside the box.  This also works in the opposite way...if you are patronizing a Small Business in your community and they choose to do business with Big Box stores, etc. when they could be buying from you; maybe it's time to rethink where you do your business. 

With the social media we all have access to, it just makes since to do the right thing.  Positive results from a sales clerk in your local hardware store can make the difference between success and failure.  So often I hear people complaining about bad service.  So next time you think "what can I do to help the situation with this economy?" think outside the box. Do what ever you can to help out that Small Business. Say something, do something to make a difference.  No matter how small it seems...you never know the outcome.

Kyanite Beaded Embroidery Bib Necklace

I have been hooked on Embroidery since a small child setting in my mother's lap watching her and holding her hands while teaching me.  So it's no big surprise that Beading Embroidery would peak my interest in a big way.  My newest love is this wonderful project with Kyanite.  I love this new piece, but I'm also intrigued with the properties of the stone.

Kyanite is readily available in Brazil, however it is not so easy to find the polished stones as found in this necklace, because the stone itself is brittle and is found in blades like flaky Philo Dough.  The smooth texture to the stones in the necklace has brought out the different colors in the stone.

Kyanite is excellent for attunement and meditation.  It is tranquilizing and a powerful transmitter and amplifier of high frequency energies, stimulating psychic abilities and the intuition.  It facilitates dream recall and promotes healing dreams. A GREAT Karma stone!  Healing properties include treating muscular disorders, fevers, the urogenital system, thyroid and parathyroid, adrenal glands, throat and brain.  A natural pain reliever, it lowers blood pressure and heals infections.  It releases excess weight (my NEW favorite diet), supports the cerebellum and the motor responses of the body.  Kyanite helps to balance yin-yang energy.
It can be found in Blue-white, pink, green, yellow, gray and black,  but the BLUE Kyanite as in this necklace "strengthens the voice and heals the throat and the larynx.  Useful for performers and public speakers.  Who Knew?  I hope you love it as much as I do.

Mint Julip

I started this piece a very long time ago and ran out of a bead which was discontinued.  (Go figure!)  For months I searched stores, websites and asked strangers on the street that even looked like they might be into beading if they had just 6 little 3mm beads!  I stuck the necklace in a drawer and pretty much forgot about it.  Then I saw an add in the paper that a bead store was going out of business and selling off their stock.  Of course, I had to go check it out.  Not even thinking about the necklace and my need for the beads, I paraded around the  store trying to figure out what I needed and in the bottom of a basket I FOUND my finish beads!  I could hardly contain myself.  I almost felt guilty for not buying all the inventory for the shop owner since she had saved me from tearing out my necklace to recycle or make adjustments on it. In  the end everything all turned out fine.  I named the piece "Mint Julip" and was hoping to have it ready in time for the Kentucky Derby, but that came and went by the time I finished it.  But I still have visions of being dressed up and watching that "long shot" come racing past the finish line and sipping on a "Mint Julip."  http://lrcoastalart.com/?p=217

Muscovite Love Necklace

Muscovite is the most commonest form of mica.  It is a mystical stone with a strong angelic contact, stimulating awareness of the higher self. Mentally, Muscovite aids problem solving and stimulated quick-wittedness.  It facilitates the clear expression of thoughts.  Physically, Muscovite improves your appearance.  It imparts sheen to the hair and a sparkle to the eyes.  It helps the body to achieve its most appropriate weight.  Healing Muscovite controls blood sugar, balances pancreatic secretions, alleviates dehydration, and prevents hunger while fasting.  It regulates the kidneys.  Muscovite relieves insomnia and allergies and heals any condition resulting from disease or distress.

It's no wonder that I fell in love with the Muscovite stones in my newest creation.  I was so inspired by the colors and the softness of these pieces while in Peruvian Bead Store in Ventura, California.  I'm pleased with the finished product.  And I am very excited to  have it displayed in the Carpinteria Arts location at 355 Linden Ave., Carpinteria, Ca.  It will continue to be there until October 4, 2010.